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February is American Heart Month. It's a time when we focus on preventing heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. We know that eating a heart-healthy diet - one which includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and whole grains - goes a long way to preventing heart disease. But did you know it helps the brain, too?

According to Dr. Sarah Francis, Iowa State University assistant professor and ISU Extension and Outreach nutrition specialist, there is growing evidence that heart health is connected with brain health. Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol can increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's or dementia.

Dr. Francis said Alzheimer's is the leading cause of thinking problems and memory loss in older adults. About one of every three older adults who die yearly has Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, with more than five million Americans living with the disease. Although there are several unchangeable risk factors for Alzheimer's and dementia including genetics, age and family history, there are some lifestyle changes we can make, such as eating healthfully and being physically active, that will lower our risk.

Dr. Francis suggests the following tips for a healthy heart and brain:

- Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of heart disease and dementia. Think of this as a lifestyle change and not a diet. For information about how to achieve and maintain a healthy weight visit: www.choose myplate.gov/.

- Reduce intake of high fat and high cholesterol foods. Saturated fat and cholesterol can damage blood vessels. Choose healthier mono- and poly-unsaturated fats found in olive oil, canola oils and nuts. Eat lean protein, including cold water fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna and trout. Consume low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Increase intake of antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

- Stay active. Thirty minutes of moderate physical activity with the intensity corresponding to brisk walking five days a week will help control body weight and blood cholesterol levels. The goal is to burn about 300 calories per half hour as indicated by light perspiration. Sample activities include walking at a speed of three to four miles per hour, housework, gardening, shoveling snow and playing with children. Exercise can be accumulated in eight-minute to 10-minute segments that increase the heart rate at least 50 percent. However, such short exercise bursts may ignore the warm-up and cool-down times needed by the muscles. If you are over 45, or haven't exercised in a while, or have a chronic illness such as heart disease, be sure to consult your physician before starting a new exercise routine.

KAREN THOMAS is a family and consumer sciences educator for Penn State Extension in Lackawanna County.

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